Simulation Software Engineer

Overview

NIO is a pioneer and a leading company in the premium smart electric vehicle market. Founded in November 2014, NIO’s mission is to shape a joyful lifestyle. NIO designs, develops, jointly manufactures and sells premium smart electric vehicles, driving innovations in next‑generation technologies in autonomous driving, digital technologies, electric powertrains, and batteries. We are building the next‑generation ECU simulation platform that powers software‑defined vehicle development across multiple vehicle programs.

• Own the end‑to‑end design and delivery of low‑level emulation and virtualization software for high‑performance, high‑throughput ECU simulation across multiple cross‑platform vehicle initiatives, ensuring industry‑leading reliability, scalability, and efficiency.
• Architect and optimize CPU, GPU, NPU simulation / emulation / virtualization technologies continuously pushing the boundaries of functionality, performance, efficiency, and reliability.
• Deliver production‑grade simulation components that precisely meet product definitions, customer specifications, and vehicle platform requirements, maintaining full traceability to requirements.
• Design and implement high‑performance Linux guest drivers and libraries for CPU, GPU, NPU, and peripheral components, enabling seamless virtualized hardware access in a virtualized environment.
• Partner closely with application and system development, validation, and integration teams to translate real‑world automotive constraints into robust, high‑quality simulation solutions that accelerate vehicle product SW development, validation, and integration.
• Drive high‑quality, on‑time delivery of software deliverables across multiple vehicle programs while championing best practices in testing strategies, traceability, and continuous improvement.

• 7+ years of hands‑on experience building complex, high‑performance software systems (embedded systems, virtualization, or large‑scale simulation preferred).
• 3+ years of deep expertise in QEMU or similar simulation / emulation / virtualization software development on Linux (KVM experience highly valued).
• Strong architectural background in CPU, GPU, and NPU architectures, modern SoC designs, software stacks, and virtualization technologies (including virtualization extensions and performance optimization techniques).
• Solid mastery of Linux kernel internals, embedded / real‑time operating systems (real‑time OS), and low‑level driver development.
• Proven experience with ARM platform bring‑up and bare‑metal / low‑level software development.
• BS / MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high‑quality, production‑grade code on aggressive timelines, with excellent technical documentation and communication skills.
• Organized mindset and a passion for delivering high‑quality software in a collaborative environment.

• Deep expertise in QEMU or simulator architecture and development (contributor or maintainer experience is a strong plus).
• Hands‑on experience with Linux hypervisors and virtualized driver stacks in environments such as QEMU, KVM, VMware, Virtual Box, or Xen.
• Familiarity with Linux hypervisor, middleware, and application frameworks.
• Experience in automotive platforms (AUTOSAR, functional safety ISO 26262, or vehicle virtualization frameworks) is a significant advantage.
• Exposure to cloud computing, databases, and logging techniques for large‑scale simulation/validation pipelines is a plus.

The US base salary range for this full‑time position is $ - $. Individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only and do not include discretionary bonus, equity, or benefits.

• Anthem Blue Cross, HSA, and Kaiser HMO medical plans with $0 for Employee Only Coverage.
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plan.
• Company Paid HSA (Health Savings Account) Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Anthem Blue Cross medical plan.
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with Brokerage Link option.
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D, short‑term and long‑term disability insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Sick and Vacation time.
• 13 Paid Holidays a year.
• Paid Parental Leave for first 8 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO).
• Paid Disability Leave for first 6 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO).
• Voluntary benefits including:
  Voluntary Life and AD&D options for you, your spouse/domestic partner and dependent child(ren), pet insurance.
• Commuter benefits.
• Mobile Cell Phone Credit.
• Free lunch and snacks.
• Onsite gym.
• Employee discounts and perks program.